Chapter 57 (Fairy Tail Campaign): Infiltration
Short Summary Long Summary After scanning the city, Ikaruga observes the countless Alliance soldiers and refugees who would blow their cover at the first chance. She notes that they have to find a way to infiltrate the city and get in the castle, Mercurius. Ikaruga admits that it’s a tall order, since her usual strategy of flying with Fukuro and dropping from above won’t work. After Gremmy asks about other options, Ikaruga states that all her plans have detractors. Option one is to use Absalom as a vanguard. The Pirate protests that they’re trying to get him killed, prompting Ikaruga to shout in annoyance that he can be invisible. Unfortunately, that would take far too long, since the Alliance patrols are definitely on the outskirts. Gremmy notes that the longer they stay, the more likely it is they’re spotted. Mangetsu suggests using the Hidden Mist Jutsu, but Ikaruga calls that out of the question, since mist isn’t common here. Gremmy points out that Mist would attract attention to themselves, with the Ninja grumbling in frustration. Ikaruga suggests moving across the rooftops, but admits it’s riskier, and Gremmy notes the soldiers and sentries on the roofs. Absalom suggests they all grab him so they can all be invisible. Mangetsu sarcastically brushes that off, considering how tough it would be to hang on while moving at high speeds. Ikaruga adds that they would move too slowly, while running the risk of bumping into someone, plus she would never touch a disgusting pervert. Absalom frowns and says that’s no way to talk to her groom, leading to her snarling about not being a bride. Absalom protests that they had a deal, and Ikaruga points out that deal is null and void. Absalom whines about looking forward to the wedding, and the bells and cake. Ikaruga blushes with excitement and asks about the cake. Absalom grins and thinks about how the way to a woman’s heart is through the stomach. Gremmy interjects with a suggestion, much to the relief of Mangetsu, who doesn’t want to hear another word from Ikaruga and Absalom about the subject. Much to Ikaruga’s disbelief, Gremmy says that he has a plan without any detractors. He says that now he has a visual on the castle, he can imagine all four of them on its roof. After Absalom expresses surprise, Gremmy explains that he is The Visionary of the Sternritter, meaning anything he imagines becomes reality, including places he wishes to be, if he has a visual of it. While he can’t imagine them inside the castle, getting straight to the roof is a good start. He (being able to imagine himself invisible) and Absalom will find the entrance to the Abyss Palace. He’ll imagine the other two inside once they find it. Ikaruga decides that that’s perfect, since it avoids needless conflict and concentrates on getting to the targets. Gremmy points out the constant risk of being spotted, so he’ll imagine some help to occupy the enemies on the surface while they head underground to their objective. Mangetsu calls it a good call, saying they wouldn’t want anyone nosy interfering. Ikaruga decides to do things that way, asking if he needs anything from them. Gremmy just requires them to put their hands on him, so they’ll go for the ride when he imagines being on the roof. He also suggests grabbing Absalom so they’ll all be invisible on the roof, much to Ikaruga’s annoyance. After Absalom cheekily tells her that a bride must get used to putting her hands on the groom, Ikaruga threatens to cut off his head if he calls her that one more time. Absalom quickly says his death would mean no cake for Ikaruga, which quickly persuades her. After Mangetsu teases them about young love being great, the others place their hands on Absalom and all turn invisible. Gremmy then tells the others he’ll now imagine them on the Mercurius roof, getting them there in less than a second. Yukio concentrates some of the last of his Spirit Energy and successfully summons his Digital Radial Invaders. He declares that it’s time to get out of the cramped cell. He realizes that he can’t fight the Garō Knights directly, since there isn’t enough Spirit Energy or electricity for him to work with. Even if he was at full power, he wouldn’t be able to do much against them, since he’s not a direct fighter. Yukio realizes he’ll have to be stealthy until he gets his console, then he’ll bust out the others to do the actual fighting. Shien calls it a sound strategy, earning Yukio’s thanks. He then uses his Digital Radial Invaders to create a Digital Blade and cut his cuffs off. While thankful for more access to Digital Radial Invaders, it’s out of the question for him to access Invaders Must Die, since it’s out of power from Lake Willow. After Yukio asks, Shien scans the cell and finds something peculiar. After accessing the Coalition Databases, she finds a barrier around the cage, one that matches the Hidden Leaf Village’s. Any one unauthorized will set off an alarm and immediately be located, which only Nagato has been able to overcome so far. Yukio frowns, calling it the Shinobi version of a motion sensor. He asks how Nagato disarmed it, but Shien says the database ends on the matter. Yukio incredulously wonders why nothing was putdown on how to beat the barriers. Shien comments that stealth was not one of Nagato’s priorities, prompting Yukio to roll his eyes. He then asks about a master key or an anti-barrier paper tag, or a connection between the cage’s keyhole and barrier, since he won’t be able to get away with throwing stealth out the window. Shien then points out a thin Chakra string connecting the keyhole to the barrier, guessing that unlocking the door from outside will deactivate the barrier discreetly. Yukio then sends a mental image of the keyhole to Shien, asking if it’s possible to craft an artificial key in the Private Chatroom and use Digital Radial Invaders to “wear” the key into reality. Shien calls it splendid thinking, and begins automating the process, promising a key in no time. Yukio notes that they don’t have a lot of time, and if a guard makes the rounds they’ll be in trouble since he doesn’t have cuffs on. After five minutes, Yukio sighs in relief when the digital key materializes, then chides Shien for taking so long. The AI admits she was buffering his Netflix movie, specifically Guardians of the Galaxy. Yukio nods, saying the key and movie are worth the wait, commenting that he’ll probably watch it when this is over. He also expresses surprise that he’s registering Wi-Fi bars, wondering why wizards would need it. Shien points out he lives in a universe with ninjas, zombies, cyborgs, dragons, pirates, wizards, and gods. None of this makes sense. She guesses that the collision of multiple universes is the cause. Yukio agrees and then decides to cut the idle chatter. He holds the key up to the outside hole, and after nothing happens, unlocks the door with an “open sesame”. To make sure no one suspects a thing, Yukio puts a hologram clone in the cell. Deciding to make himself scarce, he tells Shien to activate Camouflage Hack, which renders him invisible. Yukio muses about it being fun to escape in a cardboard box, to which Shien states that beating Metal Gear doesn’t make him Solid Snake. She also reminds him it was only because of her looking up how to beat Psycho Mantis that he didn’t rage quit from the game shutting down constantly. Yukio defends himself, asking who even does that. Shien reminds him he praised the game for the unique twist. Frowning, Yukio then asks about Detective Mode, and Shien retorts that beating the Arkham games doesn’t make him Batman. Yukio retorts that she’s never seen him and Batman in the same place. Before he speaks, Shien states that beating Assassin’s Creed games doesn’t make him Altair, Ezio, Connor, Edward, or any other assassin. Yukio growls about AIs berating their masters. Shien states that while a loyal servant, she is self-aware and is compelled to advise him. Yukio sighs and concedes the point. He then comes up with a plan. He asks to deactivate Camouflage and requests a Private Chatroom while his hologram stalls while he finalizes the plan. Yukio explains his plan in the Chatroom, and Shien immediately protests the risks. Yukio admits her point, but knows that reinforcements are necessary for the prison break to succeed. They can’t use Kakō, so they’ll have to fight their way out, through the entire Defense Division and every single Alliance leader present. Soldiers from Digital Radial Invaders will be insufficient, so Yukio’s going to try and summon Zeref. The Fullbring admits being freaked out with all the Acts of Chaos, pointing out Yhwach’s smile, Madara’s Sharingan, and Blackbeard’s talk of fate. He reassures himself that Zeref is the most reasonable Act. Shien sighs that it’s his funeral, saying it was an honor to serve him. Yukio commands her to stop whining and begin the reverse Kakō. Shien begins the summoning while Yukio pats himself on the back for his “brilliance”, having no doubt that having Zeref will make his job easy. Unfortunately for him, the summoning doesn’t get Zeref, but a busty demon with ram horns, reading a book. Shien declares the summoning complete, earning a shout of protest from Yukio. It’s only now that Seilah realizes her situation, and glares at Yukio, demanding a good reason for interrupting her. After Yukio stutters that she’s not Zeref, Seilah asks what idiot would mistake her for Zeref, considering her horns and bust. She tells Yukio to speak before she ends his story. Frantic, Yukio tries to calm her down. Seilah then introduces herself as a member of Tartarus’ Nine Demon Gates. Sighing, Yukio asks for forgiveness, as he was lamenting only summoning a Demon Gate instead of Zeref. Frowning, Seilah tells Yukio that Zeref is resting from his fight with Luffy, and he won’t appreciate disturbance. Yukio counters that his problem requires Zeref awake. Putting on a fake smile, Seilah asks if Yukio knows the last person who tried to wake up Zeref. After he doesn’t answer, she says it was Hades, who paid the price with his life, earning a shiver from Yukio. Shien asks if he’s sure Zeref is the most reasonable Act, with the Fullbring sternly saying it isn’t the time. Seilah then asks how a mere human could summon her, calling it quite the twist. Yukio bristles at being called a mere human, introducing himself as a Fullbring and a comrade, asking for respect at the very least. Seilah states that Zeref is the only human she respects, though she adds he’s ascended to godhood. Back on topic, Seilah asks if she remembers Kakō, with the Demon saying that every important officer was granted the technique by Konton. Yukio explains that he changed the coordinates when trying to get Zeref, and he miscalculated. Apparently, this coordinate change also altered the target to someone connected to Zeref if they’re in the same universe. Seilah growls at the mortal, asking if he sees her as more than a plaything, yelling that his arrogance will be his undoing. Frowning, Yukio says he just wanted to ask Zeref for help, since he’s trying to stage a breakout from the Alliance prison. Raising an eyebrow, Seilah comments on how interesting this development is. She then asks why she should bother wasting time on him and the other failures. Yukio states that since Invaders Must Die basically makes him a god in his little universe, he create whatever she wants, like the biggest library ever. He then reveals that Konton gave the order, calling it reason enough. Seilah concedes the point, and decides not to ignore Konton’s orders. She decides to indulge Yukio, but sets ground rules. First, he will not look at her in any lustful manner, earning a deadpan response from Yukio. She states that she knows what any boy with hormones thinks about, thinking of Jackal as an example. Yukio frowns, saying she’s not his type, calling the horns a turnoff. This attitude is due to a lifetime of videogames and Riruka. Seilah frowns and lists off her next rule, Yukio will not boss her around, since she only answers to Zeref and Konton. Yukio smirks and calls that an unforgiving and ill-defined rule. Seilah objects and says he has no right to order her around, and there will never be a story where a demon follows a mere human. After mentally smirking about the manga that have such a plot, Yukio decides to clarify. While making a demand to shine his shoes would be an order, advising Seilah to follow his thought-out strategies is being a team player, then asking if that’s an acceptable revision. Amused, Seilah calls Yukio quite the orator, then asking if he would be interested in writing her a story. Shaking his head, Yukio calls himself a gamer more than a writer, but notes he understands her passion for her hobby. Seilah decides to get to work, saying they have lots of killing and liberating for their story. Yukio says there’s no rush, and she shouldn’t be worried about time. Comparing it to Itachi and his Mangekyō, Yukio explains that he controls the flow of time in this dimension, and their whole conversation took less than a second. Seilah asks if that means Yukio will let her finish her book without complaint. Grinning and wanting to gain her favor, Yukio concedes, saying “Mi casa es su casa”. An invisible Absalom grins and points out the entrance to Gremmy, saying he was worried about not finding it. Gremmy compliments Absalom, and then asks if he can take care of the two guards. Confident, Absalom runs between the two and instantly knocks them out with a Hands of the Dead. Once they’re out, Absalom turns the two invisible, and tells Gremmy to hurry and get Mangetsu and Ikaruga. The Quincy assures him he won’t dawdle, knowing he’s concerned about their cover with two missing soldiers. He then starts to summon reinforcements, earning a grin from Absalom, who then hands a black box to Gremmy, telling him to give that to them. Grinning, Gremmy notes Absalom can certainly plan ahead, adding that he thought he was brainless. Absalom then calls himself an awesome stud full of surprises. Gremmy then imagines himself back with Ikaruga and Mangetsu, and reveals himself. He states that Phase 1 was a complete success. Ikaruga calls it excellent and asks the Quincy to imagine them back to the entrance. Gremmy then asks if he can make a suggestion, with Mangetsu impatiently saying they don’t have all night. Saying it’s for the benefit of the mission, he points out the patrols of soldiers, and suggests evening the odds. Gremmy explains that he can imagine creations into existence, including fighters. Gremmy assures the two that they’ll only interfere if the soldiers get in their way, but a few strong fighters to guard them should be a boon. After Ikaruga raises an eyebrow at the wording, Gremmy admits he can only concentrate on four capable fighters at a time. Ikaruga calls it an excellent idea and gives the go-ahead. Gremmy then imagines Gwenael Lee, Gerhalv Rilten, Gavreau Dox, and Gideon Alver. The four bow and say they are Gremmy’s to command. Smiling, Gremmy tells them they will be his eyes in the city, and orders them to remain hidden unless it becomes clear that the Alliance is aware of their presence. Before they leave, Gremmy gives Gwenael the black box, explaining to Ikaruga that it’s from Absalom. He orders the four to slam the box as hard as they can to summon reinforcements if they ever feel overwhelmed. The four then vanish. Mangetsu asks if the four can hold their own, with Gremmy answering that he wouldn’t have created them if they couldn’t. While they pale in comparison to him, they are still strong. Ikaruga and Mangetsu then ask about the black box. Gremmy states that it contains the might of Thriller Bark’s elite, surprising Mangetsu. Gremmy explains that he used his imagination to store Absalom’s soldiers into a box. Since they don’t have much manpower, they should do all they can with his imagination and Absalom’s General Zombies. Ikaruga smiles at this, stating that they’ll work perfectly, calling them better than the spineless pervert. After Mangetsu teases Ikaruga for being mean to her groom, Gremmy gets them back on track before an argument starts. He tells them to grab on so he can imagine them all at the entrance. Mangetsu complains about it feeling weird as he grabs on, and Ikaruga tells him to quit whining. Once they reappear, Gremmy asks Absalom if anyone was suspicious, with the Pirate answering that they’re good. Ikaruga then gives the go-ahead for the operation, and Mangetsu and Gremmy open the doors to the Abyss Palace. Mangetsu grins about walking down to Hell, to which Ikaruga states they need to move before drawing attention. The four quickly enter and close the doors. Ikaruga tells Absalom to drop the invisibility, much to the Pirate’s confusion. Ikaruga states that they’re safe for now and she doesn’t trust him to be invisible and stare lustfully at her. Absalom quickly complies, revealing the unconscious soldiers on his arms. Ikaruga orders him to put the two against the wall. Confused, Absalom asks about taking hostages. Ikaruga states that they should only do so if the plan fails, since hostages would just slow them down. Since it’s an assassination mission, speed and subtlety take precedence. Once Absalom steps back, Ikaruga quickly slits the throats of the guards. Ikaruga shrugs about leaving no witnesses, with Absalom saying he was invisible. Ikaruga says that since he interacted with them, they couldn’t be left alive. Mangetsu grins and states that Konton didn’t give them boundaries on how they got to the targets, and it wouldn’t hurt to kill anyone to reach them. Sighing, Absalom asks that they get moving. Ikaruga then tells them to move with caution, warning them about the five Garō Knights. Gremmy asks how she knows, and Ikaruga states that as one of Fiore’s top assassins, she is rooted in the black market’s info. Mangetsu calls that smart to stay informed. He muses about how coveted intel was in the Mist, whether for surprise attacks or assassination, earning their title of the Bloody Mist. Gremmy chuckles about imagining the horrors that would be committed in a place like that. Mangetsu chuckles and hopes to introduce Zabuza Momochi to Gremmy, and while he softened up, he was still the most bloodthirsty of them all in the Seven Ninja Mist Swordsmen’s glory days, at least until Kisame came along. Scoffing, Ikaruga calls it disgraceful, claiming a killer is useless if he has a heart. Mangetsu agrees, calling it painful to see him hang around Haku and act like a father to him. Absalom then asks if Mangetsu has a younger brother. Mangetsu admits it, but says he made it clear that he would not be his brother but a fellow Shinobi of the Mist. Since Suigetsu understood that, Mangetsu will feel no regret for cutting him down as an enemy. Gremmy smiles, calling Mangetsu cold as ice, saying he can’t imagine what goes on in that demented mind. The Ninja retorts that it probably isn’t as bad as Gremmy. Ikaruga cuts them off and informs them of their arrival at the Abyss Palace. The four then behold the vast Abyss Palace, with Mangetsu shocked that it’s a prison. Absalom questions how such a place would work. Ikaruga explains that the lesser criminals roam about while serving their time, stimulating an environment of lawlessness to show the criminals what their actions do to the world around them. She calls it a scared-straight program of the highest caliber. Gremmy then asks about the more dangerous criminals. Ikaruga replies that they’re isolated in different areas, with the spots depending on the crime’s severity, sometimes for the rest of their lives. The worst are put in the parts of the prison that serve as an execution ground. Mangetsu asks if that’s where the Garō Knights are. Ikaruga informs them that these criminals are hunted until death by the Knights, seen as a fitting punishment to terrify the terrors that these criminals once were. Mangetsu admits that he likes the place, while Absalom asks that they avoid the place with the Knights. While Ikaruga admits that they should, they might have to get through the Knights to reach and assassinate the Prisoners. She explains that their main targets are Coalition Military Officers, which would mean they would be guarded by the best, i.e. the Garō Knights. Mangetsu grins at the challenge. Gremmy asks what their next move should be, since they don’t know where exactly the targets are and they could run into Alliance at any moment. There’s also the possibility of Coalition grunts being in the free-roaming parts of the prison. Absalom states that since the grunts are being watched, they would attract attention if they moved against them. Gremmy nods and states they should take care of the Officers before moving on the Ex-Coalition grunts. Ikaruga states that that’s only if they have time, since they need to make the mission quick. Seeing several guards, Ikaruga looks at Gremmy. Getting the message, Gremmy gets the others to grab him and imagine them on the other side of the free-roam part, with the guards unaware. Ikaruga tells Gremmy good work, earning a grin from the Quincy. Ikaruga points out the diverging paths, and gives the order to spread out, and meet up in the section with their targets. They then disperse. Yukio and Seilah have reached the first cell door, containing Kuro. The Fullbring, knowing the Pirate will be important to the breakout, asks Shien if she’s certain it’s the right cell. After she confirms, Kuro asks who’s bothering him. Yukio grins and snarks about Kuro’s “good mood”. Kuro recognizes the voice as a “stubborn brat” from the “baptism”. Seilah recognizes Kuro’s voice and backtracks to try and remember. Yukio then asks Kuro if he wants to insult the man who can free him. Surprised, Kuro admits to doubting the abilities of a child to free him. Yukio tells him to be amazed and orders Shien to construct a key replica. As the key forms in the gloves of his Digital Radial Invaders, Yukio notes that this one was quicker than the last key. Shien states that’s because she wasn’t loading Guardians of the Galaxy. Yukio quickly unlocks the cell and asks Kuro what he’ll do now. Kuro steps out, flexes his claws, and decides to listen to Yukio first. Seilah then remembers that she recognizes him as one of the officers who volunteered for demonization. With all those they forced through the process, Seilah notes it’s hard for her to remember those who volunteered. Kuro then recognizes Seilah as one of the Nine Demon Gates. The Demon muses about the unexpected twist of one of Tartarus’s creations being caught so early, and calls it an embarrassment for Tartarus and Zeref. Kuro frowns and sarcastically says he doesn’t care. With a creepy smile, Seilah suggests making him care, wondering if she needs to remind him why the Demon Gates are feared. Yukio cuts off the argument and reminds them of their situation. He asks Shien if she has enough power for a Private Chatroom, but she admits that the reserves of Invaders Must Die were used up to accommodate Seilah. Frowning, Yukio quickly says that Konton assigned him to start a prison break, and he accidentally brought Seilah when trying to reverse summon Zeref. After Seilah tells him to address Zeref as Lord, Yukio gets that they intend to break out and get back to the Coalition. Kuro asks if they have plan. Yukio states that they first thing they need to do is get the game console and everyone else’s weapons. After being asked how that sounds, Kuro frowns at Yukio and states that nothing about the plan is efficient, calling him a novice in the process. Yukio then asks for suggestions. Kuro then says it’d be quicker to divide and conquer. Sighing, Yukio admits he would’ve liked that, but he’s not a direct fighter. He’s also the only one who can free the others, but the longer they take the greater the chance they’re found, and he’ll need Invaders Must Die at that point. Kuro sharply calls him an idiot for making himself too important for the plan’s success. Yukio glares at Kuro for his lack of gratefulness. Kuro states that while he’s grateful, there’s a line between grateful and blind obedience. He’s livid at the fact that he’ll just end up back in his cell because a proper escape wasn’t planned. Yukio simply calls that rude. Cosmos then walks up to them with a dark grin, calling it a surprise. Yukio complains about seeing her again so soon. Cosmos snarks that while she knew Yukio didn’t want potatoes, she never imagined he’d try to escape from the prison. Looking at Seilah, she then asks who she is. Quickly, Seilah raises an arm and calls herself Cosmos’s new master. Frozen, Cosmos asks what happened to her. Seilah smiles at the willpower, and then ups her level of control with her Macro to silence the executioner. Cosmos tries calling out, but it’s useless. Seilah notes that luck is smiling on Yukio, since Cosmos has keys to every cell. Smirking, Yukio tells Seilah he has a new suggestion. He advises her to escort Cosmos to the other cells while he and Kuro will get the weapons, they’ll meet up back there. Seilah calls it a good suggestion and commands Cosmos to take her to the other cells. After the two women walk off, Kuro calls Yukio lucky, earning a smirk from Yukio. Defense Commander Jura Neekis looks up at the sky with a worried expression. Yuka and Toby notice this, with Yuka asking what’s wrong. Frowning, Jura calls it nothing but a strange feeling. After Toby yells about not being strange, Yuka irritably states they weren’t talking about him. Jura then orders the two to tell the men to be extra vigilant. After the two run off, Jura thinks about while things are always tense there, he’s never gotten the feeling he has before in the war, believing that something terrible is going to happen. Gerhalv sits in the shadows and observes Jura while fiddling with a ball of Reishi. He chortles about Jura’s sixth sense, but says that he’s already lost since they’ve already infiltrated Crocus. He thinks Gremmy will complete his mission while he’ll get to crush his enemies, cackling about how fun it’ll be. With a very happy smile, Mangetsu cuts the lock on a cell door and kicks it open, chuckling about the pathetic sight Fuguki is. Glaring, Fuguki snarls at Mangetsu, claiming his chakra is far beyond the Hōzuki’s. Mangetsu counters that he can wield every one of the Seven Mist Ninja Swords, including Samehada, while he holds out in front of Fuguki. As Fuguki’s eyes widen, Mangetsu says he managed to track it down after running into the room all the weapons were put in, calling it a lucky break. Fuguki demands that Mangetsu give Samehada to him. Smirking, and enlarging his arm, Mangetsu yells that Fuguki can have it. He then shoves Samehada straight through Fuguki. Appearing Characters Ikaruga Gremmy Thoumeaux Mangetsu Hōzuki Absalom Yukio Hans Vorarlberna Shien Seilah Gwenael Lee Gerhalv Rilten Gavreau Dox Gideon Alver Kuro Cosmos Jura Neekis Yuka Suzuki Toby Horhorta Fuguki Suikazan Abilities Fullbring * Digital Radial Invaders ** Digital Blade ** Shien ** Private Chatroom ** Camouflage Hack Curses *Marco Devil Fruit * Clear Clear Fruit Weapons * Samehada Schrift * The Visionary Techniques * Hands of the Dead Previous/Next Chapter Previous Chapter: Chapter 56 (Fairy Tail Campaign): Mercurius Prison Break Next Chapter: Chapter 58 (Fairy Tail Campaign): The Exploding Keg Category:Mercurius Prison Break Arc Category:Chapters Category:Fairy Tail Campaign